The “Tō-boku” ink, passed down through Nara and Mie, has developed in Japan’s unique environment and the technique has been inherited as “Wazome” (Japanese ink). Originally made from pine wood using pine soot ink, today, rapeseed oil and plant-based soot inks are the mainstream.
The soot is collected from the smoke and mixed with animal glue to create the ink. Wazome contains more soot than Tō-boku, resulting in a darker color tone.
At Natio, we create “Sumiko Wazome” Beads by applying the Wazome ink, made using traditional Japanese techniques from Nara, onto beads and parts. This name is trademarked.
We are now able to work with “Kobai-en,” a renowned maker of Wazome in Nara, and have switched to a method of creating the ink by grinding solid ink and applying it to the beads and parts.
Here, please take a look at the introduction of “Kobai-en” and its traditional methods of production.
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《The ink-making technique, introduced from China in the early 7th century, was entrusted to the imperial court and temples. Over time, Kobai-en was founded in 1577 during the late Muromachi period as an ink manufacturer in the city. Through further research into ink production methods, Kobai-en succeeded in creating high-quality ink, which was loved by many, including the imperial family and the shogunate. This technique has been passed down and Kobai-en has dedicated itself to the ink industry for over 440 years.》
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This is the only solid ink in Japan made using traditional methods of hand-mixing and molding. It is said to pair well with ingredients such as safflower from Yamagata and indigo from Tokushima, both of which are also used in Natio’s products. There are two types of ink: pine soot ink and oil soot ink, with the rare pine soot ink also produced by “Kobai-en,” who places great importance on preserving these traditional techniques.
